The victory in Wisconsin this week over the power of public employee unions sends a strong message that things have to change in the country. Too many government employees at all levels of government are over-compensated in both their salaries and benefits. Pension commitments alone to public employees in many states is a severe threat to the fiscal health of those states. The benefits given public sector employees are paid for by taxpayers who have no direct say in the matter. We hear a lot about the riches of America’s “1% vs. 99%;” but the real one percent in the nation are public sector employees who have compensation far superior to most of their private sector counterparts.

This isn’t a distant problem. As a story this week details, even here in Winder there are public-sector employees who exploit the system and get huge benefits at taxpayer expense.

Former Winder administrator Ernie Graham has continued to suck off the public tit for over a decade since he retired at a youthful age 50 from the city. Winder councilmen illegally went behind closed doors in 2002 to temporarily lower the city’s retirement age and also changed the retirement formula. So Graham retired young from his $91,000-a-year job, but now gets the same public dollars by “consulting” part-time while still drawing taxpayer-provided health benefits.

The result is that Graham collects over $4,500 per month in retirement from Winder taxpayers plus he has half of his and his wife’s health insurance paid by Winder taxpayers. Since he has retired, Winder taxpayers have given him nearly $600,000 in direct benefits.

But that’s not all. Soon after he retired, Graham became a “consultant” for the city through a third-party firm before creating his own consulting firm. In that consulting role, Graham has collected an additional $348,000 in taxpayer money from Winder taxpayers. What he has done exactly to earn that money isn’t very clear.

On top of all that, Graham also began doing consulting work for the Town of Braselton in fiscal year 2006. That was to be a temporary job, but it has continued and he has collected another $230,500 in consulting fees from the taxpayers of Braselton. What he actually did to earn those dollars also isn’t very clear.

So since he retired at age 50, Graham has collected over $1 million in taxpayer money from an inflated retirement plan and dubious consulting work. That’s obscene.

But it’s not too unusual. Public-sector employees feel entitled to their offensive pay and benefits. That’s why the Wisconsin teachers’ union and other public-sector unions tried to unseat that state’s governor after he made public employees pay a small part of their benefit package. Teachers and other public-sector employees in Wisconsin went crazy, marched on the state capital for weeks and then launched a failed recall of the governor.
The truth is, most public-sector employees across the country don’t deserve the kind of pay and benefits they’re getting; and even if they did, taxpayers can’t afford to pay it any more.

But you can’t tell public-sector employees that. They don’t care that the economy has crashed and private-sector jobs are hurting. They want pay hikes and more and more benefits for themselves.

You see that “me-first” attitude now that many local governments, including school systems, are having to make serious cuts. At one time, public-sector employees not only had gold-plated benefits, they had almost 100-percent job security.

All of that is starting to change and public employees are throwing a tantrum. Every night on television we see some group of teachers around Atlanta demanding no job cuts and higher pay. “Our morale is low,” they sob.

Spoiled babies. Teachers make darn good money and benefits for what they do. Show me any similar part-year job (just 180 days of work) in the private sector that has better compensation than is found in education. Such part-time private-sector jobs don’t exist with that kind of pay.

The reality is that those in the private sector who work hard for reasonable pay are tired of paying high taxes to compensate overpaid public sector employees.

That was the message from Wisconsin this week. States and local governments can’t continue promising rich pensions and other benefits to public sector employees when there is no money to meet those obligations. (California is another extreme example of public sector excess.)

This situation isn’t unlike Greece and other European nations that have tried that route and are now teetering on the brink of financial collapse because of the massive amount of debt they’ve taken on to keep paying fat public-sector benefits and massive social-welfare programs.

The reality is, no nation, no state, no county or city can provide all the benefits their employees or citizens demand. There simply isn’t enough money floating around to do that. But too many governments have gone into too much debt in an effort to avoid having to say “no.” Gutless politicians have instead tried to buy votes by always giving everyone what they want, the future cost be damned.

Now the well is running dry and public-sector employees are getting a dose of the real world. They don’t like it.

And then you have high-ranking government officials like Winder’s Graham who use their inside connections and influence to feather their own fiscal beds when nobody was watching.

And like pigs at a trough, greedy public employees oink and oink while they eat, then squeal if anyone dares question their right to pillage the taxpayers’ pockets for their own benefit.

Wisconsin public-sector employees got the rebuke they deserved this week. Let’s hope that will ignite a taxpayer movement across the country to put a stop to high public-sector compensation and abuse.

Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.

The problem with the bashing of "high wages for public employees" is that in some cases it is true. (Look at Governor Walker's appointees.) But there are many, many others with subpar pay -- lower than their private sector counterparts -- and any across-the-board corrections are harmful to these people and the system in general. The university system is a great example. Madison professors and most in the business schools on each campus are ROYALLY compensated. Many other professors, however, would make more as a retail manager. These are great teachers who believe in what they are doing and Wisconsin kids get a real benefit from being taught by them. But how long do you think people will stay? Especially when they are targets of rants that say they are the 1%

And look at how many Wisconsin teachers abandoned the kids to stage weeks of protest because they were asked to pay a very small part of their health care plans. They didn't care about the kids, they cared about themselves and the power of the union they belonged to.

You paint a broad brush with your judgment of public sector employees.

While I agree that there are specific instances locally of abuse, the vast majority of folks are simply hard-working people trying to get by.

Does the system need to change? You bet! I am all for a private sector type 401k plan that allows employees to share in the risk/reward of their retirement funds. This type of system also protects the employer (taxpayer) by limiting outlays and providing predictable costs.

My pay is too high? Really? Tell that to my bank. Tell that to my other creditors. Could I make more outside of education? You bet! Given the current contempt towards teachers, I doubt that good ones will hang around long for the continuing abuse.

I went into education with the silly notion that I was there to help the kids to be productive members of society. If I wanted to just make money, I could have chosen other options.

Your continued disparaging against teachers is getting old. You really should find a new target to whine at. I'm turning my hearing aid off!

And the tearcher pay and perks grew and the kids get less eductated. Leftist thugs always says spend more money and we get less and less for it. Teachers have in many areas are nothing more than recruiters for democrats and decent people are sick of it.

If teacher are so goo then let them compete in an open eductaion system where they have to be accounable. Compitition with private schools will help to fix the problems in education.

Right now the teachers unions have fought against any kind of standards or testing that would hold them accountable.

Decent people are sick of picking up the tab for leftwing teachers that do little more than to teach children to hate the US.

Education policy needs to be extracted from the hands of state and federal policymakers. They have both shown they have no clue to what is needed.

Instead, true parternerships between the business sector and local school districts should take th helm. We are developing into an age where individualized education trumps the 1950's style currently used across the country.

Perhaps compulsory education laws need to be rethought and instead put in rigorous exams at specific points to gain access to higher level education. Return education to a priviledge instead of a "right" that has turned into free babysitting for all too many. Then, pay/benefits could be allocated based on outcomes from a common standard of incoming students.

I think teachers work a lot more than the editorialist and some of his readers give them credit for.Drive by any school during the summer break and you will see a lot of cars there all summer long. They also have to take college and continuing ed. classes during the summer to maintain their own certifications and sometimes the systems certifcations.All of themn that I know spend a good deal of money every year out of pocket to buy classroom supplies that the system cant or wont buy but are needed none the less.
Graham and his consulting firm: I dont know about , yes it looks like a scam on the surface, but a lot of small and large govt. hire consultants.Whats wrong with him having more than one client? Is the barrow journal suddenly against free enterprise?
Its all about the "newspaper" stirring the pot and getting people riled up at one another so that they can sell more fishwrappers and that is all there is to it.

A lot of people in the education field tell me they could make more in the private sector. Maybe, but not for the same work schedule. Overall look at the unemployment rates in the public sector vs. the private sector; private sector is much higher. If those in education can make more in the private sector, then I say go do it. But you'll have to work more days and often with less benefits.

"So the BOE does have a valid argument that it faces a lot of financial issues over which it has no control and that it has been conservative with taxpayer money when compared to other school systems."

Did you just state that the local school system is conservative with TAXPAYER MONEY?????

And these are some facts you give about the overly compensated public employees of this county (Teachers):

• The system’s local teacher supplement, which is the only part of teacher pay the local BOE has control over, is among the lowest in the area.

• Compared to other systems in the state, the BCSS has a low per student administration cost.

• At $7,815 per student, the BCSS is among the lowest in the state in per student spending.

INSERT FOOT IN MOUTH!

You can try to spin this anyway you want. The fact is you are just a journalist attempting to get readers. It is obvious based on prior articles and editorials, that you really think the BOE does a good job financially. So go ahead, incite a riot if you'd like, but deep down it is obvious you believe this county does a good job with its education spending.

It seems as Mike paints with a broad brush here, and while fingers can be pointed in many directions, he doesn't specifically point to BCSS overall. BCSS supporters might be a little sensitive over recent headlines, but the gist of the article shouldn't give indigestion here.

He points a finger directly at teachers. There is no broad brush in the way he did it. Considering teachers make up a sizable majority of the employees of BCSS, I would have to disagree with "the article shouldn't give indigestion [to teachers] here."

The BCSS is fiscally responsible compared to other systems, but it doesn't set employee pay, the state does that. The BCSS local supplement is below other area systems and the BOE only controls that part of the system's pay. But just because the BCSS is trying to be responsible doesn't mean the overall public sector pay system isn't broken. Even with being conservative, the BCSS is struggling because of cuts in state funding, some of which is crated by having to pay too much compensation to government employees.

I do not know that much about the subject but the facts are the private sector makes more money that the public sector. I worked for the Federal Gov't at one point last year and it was like being on welfare. I have a friend that is a teacher in NYC and she does not even make $35,000 yr. she has been working with them for 10+ yrs. The public sector debt was not bad it was when the private sector dump their debt or the public sector! "As much as we hear politicians, pundits, tea-party patriots and the Congressional Budget Office obsessing about government debt, it was excessive private debt — not public debt — that caused the 2008 financial meltdown. And it was private debt — some of it since transferred to the public — that lies behind the current European debt crisis. (Greece is unique in having a public sector that ran up spending while its private sector is rather conservative.)" U.S. debt load falling at fastest pace since 1950s

Also, your NYC teacher friend is lying. Georgia teachers make more than that after 10 years and NYC teachers are union, so they make much more.

Also, Europe's troubles aren't due to private debt, they're due to huge welfare states and massive over-employment in the public sector. You are correct that it was mostly private debt that created the 2008 problems here, but much of that debt was driven by federal mandates that had banks lending to people who couldn't afford the loans.

As advocates for the American working class, here is a short list of what unions have help all workers not just union members. Thus unions have played an essential part in building the middle classes way of life.

As for “absurd”, that is what you are if you can’t acknowledge these items before you as what they are. All of these privileges are now elemental to our everyday way of life, and benefit almost all working Americans.
Being a student of history, and not desiring to repeat our past, I can foresee an aggressive demonstrative attempt to reverse and abolish many of the privileges which have struggled for and been successfully in achieving.

As for those of you that say that Unions as a whole are no longer a need entity in today’s society; To this I say it is no different than having a standing army during a time of peace. We need to stand vigilant and protect our investments, as well as have the strength to have an impact within political arenas. Not hate the player hate the game!

To the gentleman that is inferring that fire fighters have an disproportionate amount of free time and all have second jobs… Well two things; first, there are 168 hours in a week, any given week we are at work and away from our family 32% of the time. The majority of the blue-collar, or 9-5ers in comparison are gone only 24% of the time. Secondly 7.5 million Americans Moonlight (US Dept of Labor). Moonlighters comprise a trend that is steady increasing. As the mounting cost of living soars and wage levels are ever stagnated, this trend will surely continue, and we are just a cross-section of the population.

The burden of the job impacts us more than you will ever know. Public safety officers, police and fire alike have divorce rates 3 times higher than the general public.

Cancer: “Researchers found firefighters have a 100% higher risk of developing testicular cancer, a 50% higher risk for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and for prostate cancer it's a 28% increased risk, compared with non-firefighters” (A study released by the University of Cincinnati).

Heart attacks: firefighting was associated with a risk of death from coronary heart disease at markedly higher risk in contrast to the everyday public. Fire fighters are associated with the highest risk, which was approximately 300 times higher as that for non fire fighters.

Parkinson’s Disease: In 1990 a study in completed in Huston Texas demonstrated a finding of 3-4 cases per 1,000 in the general population. Conversely fire fighters have had 30 Parkinson's cases per 1,000 firefighters.

And for the record not one of these condition is covered under workmen’s compensation here is Georgia, but is in 38 other states to varying degrees. So we still need to fight for what is right…

Actually, if you do the research you will see Mike is pretty much on target. Take a look - teachers in Chicago make an average of $75,000/year and are complaining that they need more. You can't use the cost of living example here because I have lived there it's comparable to here. Also, it is going to get worse the President just announced that he thought the private sector was doing just fine and the public sector was hurting. THis means more bail out, more public (gov't) jobsgetting pay increases and added jobs.

Don't know what part of CHI town you lived in, but according to my research, it is 27% more expensive to live in Chicago than Winder, GA and housing is 83% more expensive in Chicago! If you make $50,000 in Winder, that is comparable to $63,567 in Chicago. http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=50000&city1=51383420&city2=51714000

And Illinois teachers' AVERAGE starting pay is $37500 with an AVERAGE of $58686 after 10 years. There may be some with doctorate degrees and tenure that make $75000 but your use of average appears wrong.
http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

Erin, Mike is right. Just read these comments and ones from previous columns even your commnets help to prove the point. Not to mention all of the protest across the country from unions. They tried to recall Walker and get him kicked out of office. How much more proof do you need. I do not think every government worker feels the exact way. But in general terms there is more than enough proof out there. What is funny is this was the best one you could come up with.

Erin, the article is categorized as an editorial. Editorials include opinions, as well as facts. At any rate, if this article makes you this mad – just quit reading the darn paper! As angry as you are - you are likely to have a heart attack!

Hilarious. Who is going to have the heart attack? Maybe the one posting with all the "!!!" at the end of their sentences? It's sad that the only thing you have to do is sit at your tiny computer and type up a bunch of BS on these blogs. I'm not angry at all. I'm actually pretty fantastic. I'm just disgusted that I live in a town full of hicks who like to lie and throw people under the bus to save their own sorry asses. Angry? Nah. Disgusted? Absolutely. Keep on typing up your ever so important articles. The ignorant people of this community will continue cackling, just so you can sleep at night. :) Have a great day. I know I will.

Miss Fantastic,
Where do I start? While not always agreeing with Mike, I've never attacked him for his opinions (I have questioned him). You say you aren't angry? When you say, " I'll start small for you, Mike." - I sense a tad bit of anger when you demean another person.
Your comment, "It's sad that the only thing you have to do is sit at your tiny computer and type up a bunch of BS on these blogs." Well, isn't that the pot calling the kettle black?
Your next comment, "I'm just disgusted that I live in a town full of hicks who like to lie and throw people under the bus to save their own sorry asses..." - Your use of profanity proves how classy you aren't, so don't let the door hit you on your way out of this hick-filled town. By the way, what does throwing people under the bus and saving a$$es have to do with this article?

Erin, if you are so upset over the articles, why do you keep reading? I may not always agree with Mike, but for the most part - he does his homework and gets to the bottom of things. Which part of this (or any article) was a lie?

Mr. Buffington,
Your self-serving post on this subject, makes me very happy that you have absolutely no say in how our hard working Teachers are paid in this county. Thank the Lord, for small blessings......
DuWayne Anderson,
Winder, GA

Yes DuWayne, we know you would shower all education employees with raises... but just one question, how would you pay for it? Less state money. Lower property values. What is it about education that makes you think it should be exempt from the economic realities everyone else has to deal with?

Mr. Buffington,
Let's take back all the money from the Teachers that taught you over the years. Wonder where you would be now without those Teachers.......and the degrees that you now have, and the salary and benefits you personally enjoy.......
DuWayne Anderson
Winder, GA

Answer the question, DuWayne, how do you propose to pay for the teacher pay hikes you have so often endorsed? Instead of trying to play on emotions, let's debat the fiscal facts. If there is no money, how would you give raises?

First of all,get your facts straight. I have never said "I will give raises to Teachers even if there is no budget", so please stop trying to mislead your readers. Second, I gave my alternative funding Education plan to Gov. Deal's top education advisor her name is India Moorehouse. You can look it up. My plan was accepted as an alternative funding plan, if and when the normnal "raise your taxes" plans have all run their course and failed. I also outlined this plan during my campaign in 2010 for the Dist.7 (at large) BOE race. You should already know this since your paper covered it during the campaign. Read it and get back to me.You asked me how I would pay for it when you already had the answer. I have a plan, I submitted a plan,and the plan was accepted. Theses are facts. Check it out. I kept my campaign promise to those who voted for me. My plan would not raise taxes 1 cent, because unlike others who have run for office, I respect hard earned tax payer dollars. Still sleeping in late I see..... try getting up just a bit earlier in the AM.......Most Teachers do............
DuWayne Anderson
Winder, GA

DuWayne, school funding is set by state law. Dozens of groups have studied making changes over the years.... Your plan has zero chance of ever becoming law. So, let me rephrase my question: under the current funding formula, how do you propose to fund education and give raises to all teachers? Where is the money gong to come from?Just answer the question. You are the one here who has pushed for higher teacher pay...tell us how that is possible.

You asked me a question. I gave you my answer. My obligation to your question has been fullfilled. I will not re-hash the obvious. Raising taxes, or cutting spending ARE NOT the only answers available to solve the education funding issue. Until you learn to think out side the tax/or slash and burn mentality box, you will continue to have the same political fodder to bandy back and forth. You have to change the dynamic, if you expect different results. That sir, is a fact.......one you personally don't like.....but a fact none the less.......
DuWayne Anderson,
Winder, GA

Just as I suspected, you can't answer the question because you don't really understand how education funding works. The fact is, there isn't enough money anywhere to fund education to suit you. Reality hurts, DuWayne. You can't change how schools are funded in the state. Your answer is not an answer at all.

My plan is on the record with the specifics as to how it works. The Gov.'s office understands how it works, and what the potential benefits are, as an alternative funding mechanism. You don't understand the investment concept idea, so you simply dismiss it, because it has not been tried before. You assume that the only way to fund Education is the using the same old tired tax based revenue sharing concepts that continue to fail. You yourself have said the system doesn't work. I have offered a new non-taxed base plan. You only offer the same old tired responses of slash and burn politics, while trying to discredit anyone's ideas that don't meet your narrow journalistic views. It's no wonder your paper has not been able to unseat the Barrow County News, in this county. You can't expect different results if you refuse to take off the blinders........
DuWayne Anderson
Winder, GA

Ladies and Gentlemen, My funding plan for education will not raise state or property taxes taxes 1 red cent. If you think investment in Education does not work, I invite you contact any local partner(s) in Education here in Barrow County, and ask them if their investment in Barrow County Education "doesn't work'.........Let me know what they say........
DuWayne Anderson,
Winder, GA

You are correct. It is results based investment, based on goal criteria set by The State Board of Education. It is not dissimilar to public stock investment, with the same general risk factors we take when we buy any public stock. The beauty of the plan is that operational costs are covered by initial investments. No taxpayer money is used,and property taxes are not raised, and in many cases can be lowered, as investment takes over the lions share of the Education costs. This is a base-line explanation only. The plan itself is very specific in goals and results. The Legislature and State BOE would set the criteria. Note: My plan also does not rely on SPLOST for funding. In short, no public tax money used no SPLOST, and no property tax increases...... I promised to author a plan during my campaign and present it to The Gov. Office for consideration. Those promises have been kept. The rest is up to the powers that be in Atlanta......that is something I can't control. Thank you for your comment.
DuWayne Anderson
Winder, GA

DOOOOOOOOOOWAYNE, not so nice to have you back. I guess, once again, you realized you have no future in politics, so now you are back here begging for attention. Atleast you were smart enough to not have entered your name in any hats and cause drama to your family. Honestly, have you gained employment yet?

Well, we've published what local educators make so it's pretty cut and dried that they make far more than that. And the salaries don't include other benefits such as above average job security and the fact that most in the education world have far more time off in a year than similarly paid private sector workers. The state sets teacher pay and it is supplemented locally by school systems. Some of the pay is tied to degrees, but I've never seen evidence that having more degrees actually does much to affect the quality of education a child receives. The really bad pay issue is with administrators who make far too much generally speaking.

Your right Mike, we are overpaid, over worked Labor groups have no place at the table to discuss the needs, concerns of any specific profession. That’s right elected officials and management are above all question. This because they have been elected or given a sliver spoon, thus they know everything about every aspect of what we do and can do it far better than we can from the comfort of an plush leather office chair within the confines of a well-furnished and from reality removed board room!

History lesson… Unions built this county; from the government buildings and monuments, to the highways and byways of America. The sweat of organized labor built the arsenal that defeated the axis, and again built the arms and infrastructure to win an arms race that allows us the freedoms we enjoy today. This is was a credit to a way of life that the middle class was accustom to until the last decade.

So again Mike your right! Unions are BAD, and the reason we are where we are today! We are the crybabies that suck the bosoms of the American taxpayers dry. It was not Halliburton, or the government bailouts for bankers who rolled the dice with money from checks they could not cash, giving loans to high risk to those that they knew were doomed from the get go. So what is next; are we to be blamed for being the group that nailed Christ to the cross. Give me a break…

Education for you… What is a union? A union is a group of individuals that come together around a command cause. If a “unions” is defined as “an association, alliance, or confederation of individuals or groups for a common purpose” Then should you not be also vilifying The GOP, the Boy Scouts, the Chamber of Commerce or any given church group? What about the Good Ole U.S. OF A., that’s a union too! They are nothing more than a mob of Villainous thugs, right? Of course not! Every one of these groups has similar missions and strives to achieve like goals. Each looks out for the best interests of their membership and attempts to forward the quality of their membership by lobbying and working in the community to better the conditions around them. And yes even the Boy Scouts of America have lobbyists, as do Right to Life Organizations and the banking industry alike. All pushing their agenda for a command end…

So why is it that we the working class professional’s organizations have gotten the stamp of blood sucking leaches, villains and worse by the press and politicians alike? Teachers are the instrument to which our future education is built upon. Police officers are the security we depend upon, and Fire fighters and EMS providers are the one you call for everything else… So why I ask are we target of vilification?

I can speak only to what I know best and this may enlighten some of you…

As fire fighters we work on average 54 hours a week; receive overtime compensation only after they exceed 54 hours, not after a standard 40 hour work week, like the private sector; thanks to a FLSA exemption. Our health benefits are comparable or less than the private sector’s, in the EMS field. Retirement benefits are poor at best; this is in comparison to what they were in the past and other fields… I for one will not be able to retire and look forward to any real security in my golden years… We are under staff, scarcely equipped and work in at times, the worst of conditions you can imagine.

Unions and collective bargaining are good things, as is the idea of compromise and cooperation. Why then is it that one of our nation’s oldest and most fundamental ideas is being figuratively cast upon the tides of the river of Styx, hopelessly flowing towards the internal fiery depths of Hades itself. To what end will this name calling persist. Groups of persons with similar likes and dislikes do gather to achieve a common cause every day. This is our constitutional right.

And Mike you can take your paint roller that you choose to use as a method to paint this picture, and turn it on the truly corrupt; the politicians and financial barons that are attempting to pad their deep pockets on the backs of those on the front lines… Indentured servitude of the 21 century…

Corruption and greed unfortunately are a part of human nature, and it is found in all cross-sections of life. There is corruption in government, Churches, youth groups and yes even the press…

“Like pigs at a trough,” “oink and oink” Mike please! That’s a bit of a nursery rhythm. Look for something else news worthy rather than just regurgitating Fox News. By the way “while they eat, then squeal” is that not after all what is that not what Yearwood has been doing for the last 4 years.

Public unions are allowed in 30 states. Look at the serious financial problems those states now have because unions have gold-plated pension plans. California, New Jersey, Wisconsin, etc. are all suffering from the impacted of inflated costs due to the monopoly public unions have in those state. There was a time in this country unions served a good purpose. Now they exist mostly to extend their own power and control, not to serve their members. Not all public employee jobs are overpaid — public safety jobs in many place are underpaid (but not in California and some other liberal states.) But the overall bureaucracy of government at all levels is inflated by over-compensation.

Unions were a needed entity, 80 years ago. Child labor; unsafe working conditions; abuse everywhere. The unions were the answer to a lot of problems.

But those answers have been given; those problems solved. Americans, thanks to unions, work in a safer, more fair workplace.

So what are unions now? They are a small minority of the workforce, taking money from hard-working citizens to finance political candidates, usurp small businesses from trying to contribute to the economy by employing more folks, and making the union bosses into a neverending rulers.

Unions nowadays are propagated mostly by public-sector workers, sucking off the public for more raises and benefits. Instead of the employhee working for the company, the union demands the employee work for the union, demanding no contact betweeen worker and employer, for fear of the employee realizing what a bad deal unions are.

Make no mistake, public-sector employees are a needed part of American life, just as private sector employees. But without Obama's minions on the NLRB, unions would be fast fading from the face of the country, residing only in communistic ideology.

Unions were once the answer, but for the most part, are a fading part of history. Thanks for what they did, but their job is done.

54 hours a week this includes sleeping, grocery shopping, lifting weights listening to the radio, doing an old fashioned thing like riding the fire trucks around to check traffic patterns, which with todays tech is outdated, hmm what else most the time doing little or nothing and getting paid pretty well, sorry full time firemen are over paid and under worked, and yes similar to private sector job in teaching is shift managers are the local poultry plant the difference is if he or she fails to make sure his workers know what and how to do thing he or she will be fired shortly there after while a teacher wil just show up blame the kids and the parents and wait for all the holidays off...

I think Mike Buffington is right on. We should pay teachers more like they are in the private sector.
Let's pay them like they provide a daycare service. I say, $150.00 per week, per child. So, $150.00 x 20 students= uh-oh. That would be a raise. Crap. Ok, maybe they don't make that much when you think about it.

These are numbers based on above and as being self employed as a daycare would be.
$ 150.00 x 20 per week = $ 3000.00 per week.

3000 x 50(2 weeks vacation = 150k
150,000k total
-22,500 SS
-10,500 medicare tax.
-7,200 Inusrance based on avg of $ 600.00 month
-30,000 for retirement a year to be put away to get the same amount needed as the averge teacher after 30 years.

Total left $ 79,800 but not quite done..

Daycare works 250 days a year.
Teachers work 180 days a year.

Hours 2000 for daycare
Teachers 1440

79800 divided by 2000 = $ 39.90
$ 39.90 x 1440 = $ 57,456..

So each teacher should make $ 57,456.. I can live with that. Then the ones making in the 60k,70k,and 80k will take a cut.. The ones make in the 40k will get a raise.

Hmmm, ever firefighter I know, without exception, has a second job because they have so many available hours. It's tough to claim you work too many hours when you are spry enough to have a second career going on your off days.

Stop whining.

And get your facts right. The highest rate of union membership in the workforce was about one-third meaning that two-thirds of the work in this country was done by non-union employees. The claim that unions built this country is absurd.

Oh, and did you see what President Obama said today? That the private sector was "doing fine" and said the real problem was (sniff) local government workers were getting laid off and Congress should send more money to the states to prop up local government spending. Why? Can you say "election?"
To say the president is out of touch is a vast understatement.

where do you come up with this stuff, you must be the nuttiest fruit loop to tap on some keys since jack legg strolled in to town. why dont you write about something that is real and effects the local area?

The Wisconsin issue does affect us, every state. While an extreme example, what happened in Wisconsin is happening everywhere to an extent. The Wisconsin vote set a precedent that we will hear about for years to come and it will affect public sector compensation all across the nation. I'm sorry if I'm not provincial enough for you in my thinking, but there isn't a wall at the county line that keeps out other influences. Barrow County isn't an island, even if some people like yourself think so.

but the wisconsin stuff hasnt affected us here in barrow. you see mike we dont have public sector unions here in georgia running up pay and benefits. We have just the opposite here. ur public sector employees are taking pay cut after pay cut after paycut. All from a relatively small check to begin with.
It is currently fashionable for people like you and those that you influence to think of them as modern day slaves who should just be happy to be working for ungrateful people like yourself.
Anyone of themthat is worth their salt has already left the only ones that stay are the ones that have been here too long to leave and start over or the abosolute dregs, which is apparently who you and your ilk want.
Soon enopugh , when the few good ones that are left are retired then you will writye an editorial decrying the poor job performance and total lack of any work ethic of those working for the public and you can then look in the mirror and see who caused it all.

The waste is not on teachers it is in other departments and at the board office. You have Bus Driver’s (that it is rumored to have never graduated High school) made last year $33,561.01 an $1,294.00 in travel expense where on earth did a bus driver that does not have a High school education go that cost $1,294.00? and she will make more this year. Lots of waste at the Transportation Dept and Maintenance Dept. Creel is going to buy the 10 retainer bus drivers each a laptop to plan out all the routes for next year but they are paying another “just a bus driver” to sit in the office and be the “Routing Coordinator” if the retainer’s bus drivers are doing the routes why do they need a “Routing Coordinator” that is not going to do any Coordinating at the tune of $40k something a year. Why do we need her in the Transportation office?(when she could be on the bus driving a route) Oh that’s right to answer the phone and do phone tree calls. Hello BOE are you even looking at where the money is going? The Budget in the Transportation “office” has tripled in the last 5 years? Creel keep’s pouring money in these two departments all the while telling the BOE she is cutting over here but if BOE would do their job and pull out a calculator they would see these two departments have triple their payroll and spending during Creel’s reign of terror. Then at Maintenance Dept wonder what we are paying for car ins on these accident prone Maintenance workers? Go to Hal Jackson Rd and look at the wreaked vehicle....did the wreak happen in Barrow or did it happen on their why home to HART COUNTY? You want to talk about bus drivers driving out of the county what about the Maintenance workers that live all the way in Hart County? You want to save money in Barrow schools take out some of the unneeded overpaid office staff at the Transportation Office put them back on the bus where there are needed!!!!!. but that would mean that the BOE would have to do their job and look into where the money is being spent and that’s not going to happen because >hey it’s all good because Creel’s handpicked woman is in charge over there. Yea right lol

I am kind of confused Mike so please help me here. You are ranting about pubic sector jobs when in fact Graham has a private sector job. He owns a private business and is making a lot of money but yet you are talking about how much money he makes off the government. So shouldn't you be complaining about private sector jobs. Oh and I have worked for the government and now I am with a private company. I can tell you I do five times less amount of work and bring home ten times more financially. I would not take another government job unless my life depended on it. I have several friends who are teachers, and public safety officials and I think they should be getting paid a lot more than me ecause they work really hard, they care about helping others, and rarely complain.

Let me see if I can help you out. You had a guy who was the top city administrator who went into a closed council meeting to have the council change the retirement and pension rules to allow him to retire early with more money. Then he turns around and goes to work for a firm that does what? Consulting for the city. Then he creates his own firm and does what? Consults for the city and another city? Doing what? Well, that's not clear. Have you ever heard the term cronyism?

I guess what I am waiting to see about the teacher part of this article is a solution from Mike. I haven't read one from him. How should things be reformed in terms of the calendar, pay-scale, and ratings for performance? And don't get me wrong, I think there do need to be reforms.

Also, can you compare a private sector job to that of teaching? Your argument is the same one made by many and that is, there are no other jobs in the private sector that compare in the way teachers are compensated. List the type of jobs in the private sector that are similar to teaching.

I do think teacher pay should be reformed. To base teacher pay simply on tenure and how many degrees you collect without any aspect of performance is nuts. But it won't happen because legislators are too scared to do it and incur the wrath of those who cling to the status quo.
No, there is no private job like teaching which was my point. No private sector job pays full time salaries for 180 days a year of work. That's another reform that is needed; get rid of the antiqued school year calendar and move to a full time school.

As a teacher, we completely agree that the degrees you collect and the tenure you have does not "automatically" give you the right to get more money. Completely agree with you that it is a system that does not promote incentives. It needs to be changed and fixed.

In regards to the private sector and comparing it to teaching, you are telling me what it is not, but I'm asking you compare, not just contrast, what jobs are similar to teaching in the private sector. To put it bluntly, tell me what a teacher does, and then compare it to to a job(s) in the private sector.

Mike, no disrespect, but why do you have such disdain for teachers? Just like any profession, there are bad apples in every bunch. But I'm just wondering why you seem to have such hatred towards that one particular group of workers?

I don't have a hatred toward teachers. But I don't think any job is above reproach and in the public sector, all jobs need to be looked at with reality and not just emotion. For too many years, discussion of teacher compensation was not allowed and not politically correct. Nobody was supposed to question how teachers were compensated and certainly not discuss anything to do with accountability. That has changed. Now that the money isn't falling from the sky like it did during the boom years, we have to ask these questions and take a critical look at a system which financially is not sustainable. What I don't like is how teacher unions and lobby group play on emotions in these debates, as if discussing the reality of teacher compensation is an attack "on the children." Teaches are public employees whose compensation is paid for by taxpayers. It is totally correct to discuss how that is done and how much it costs. To see what happens when you don't have that debate, look at what happened in Wisconsin when teaches en mass abandoned their classrooms to march on the state capital when the governor decided they should pay a very small part of their retirement and health benefits. Those particular teachers in that state had been spoiled by a rotten union system that was totally out of touch with reality. Teaching has for too long been a sacred cow profession where nobody would dare ask these kinds of questions. But that is no longer the case. There are no public sector jobs that should be off limits to debate.

So maybe mike can explain how the teacher unions here in Georgia are making a mess out of local economy's,as well as the other public sector unions which don't existing Georgia either are doing what he says.
Mike has taken some other states problems and extrapolated them to Georgia in order to enflame the populace , sell more papers and view himself as a pundit.

Let's have a discussion on public sector employees. We can't limit this discussion to teachers however. We must also discuss other groups who receive taxpayer money. Soldiers for instance, would you be in favor of cutting the pay of soldiers who are deployed to areas that put them directly in harms way? What about police officers and fire fighters?

My experience is most seasonal jobs pay between $7.50 and $10 an hour.
My experience when employees do not improve the end product (improve sales, new version of product, etc.) replacements are found.
My experience is the one writing the checks is the boss. Government employees and receivers of government welfare work for the taxpayer. When the taxpayer is making less its time for the employees to be reduced in number or paychecks cut.

I have checked the statistics on teaching salaries in private schools before and although there are some anomalies, they are close. Typically on the lower side of what teachers in public schools make, but not too far off.

Mr. Buffington once again conveniently omits some crucial facts about Teachers. Teachers, Ladies and Gentlemen, educate all of our kids, for the direct purpose of preparing them to enter ALL phases of PUBLIC and PRIVATE sector employment. All the pay scales that are being debated here, contain working employees that were taught by Teachers. From a CEO to a lawyer, or doctor, Educators are the common denominator in their personal success. No other private sector entity group has this responsibility in our society.
It is very easy in difficult financial times to start a debate on micro-managing public sector jobs vs. private sector jobs. After all, why should a Teacher make more than anybody else, what do they do that is so much more important than what I do? Let's cut their pay, increase their hours, increase class sizes, reduce funding, so all of us private sector cry babies, can feel better? I think not!! By the way, the Union debate that has been brought up in this forum, does not apply to Georgia Teachers, as they have no collective bargaining union. That represents them. God bless our Teachers, and all that they do!!
DuWayne

"To say that government indoctrinators prepare students for the capitalist work force has been proven wrong many times."

See, it is thoughts like this one that infuriate me, a lowly teacher, the most. Why paint us all with the same brush? Have you never had/met a competent, caring, sincere teacher who actually taught students to think for themselves? Never? If any statement is ignorant and honestly unworthy of debate, it is that one. What a shame...

Yes, there are incompetent teachers. Let's figure out a way to allow administrators to deal with that. But to infer that we are all mindless, spineless government puppets is, at the least, insulting, and at most, ridiculous.

Indeed I had a first grade teacher who recognized I wasn't reading and stayed after school everyday and taught me to read. Without her intervention and caring I would likely not have the dedication to helping others or the love of learning I have.

The easiest way to rid the system of incompetence is to stand up as fellow teachers and administrators say that person is incompetent and should be fired. Also why should incompetence be paid the same as competent or extraordinary?

I guess I am confused. If there is no union protecting incompetence and it is about finding the best teachers to prepare students then why would it be difficult to fire an incompetent teacher? I mean it is about teaching the students isn't it? I mean if it is truly about educating students why would a company or "system" protect an incompetent employee?

If I had to work beside an employee not pulling there weight I would certainly want the company to remove them and I most certainly would want to be paid for my performance vs their nonperformance.

Talk about turning a blind eye. Sheesh. "..government indoctrinators..."? Your statement about "To say that government indoctrinators prepare students for the capitalist work force has been proven wrong many times.", shows the same ignorance that you claim to the writer above, as many students HAVE been prepared for the work force.

Mislead? Cuts both ways. Worthless? Well, I suppose I wasted some time with the reply.

Were they prepared or did their own internal drive to succeed push them beyond their teachings? Did their parents say,” we need to do more than what was assigned”?

When half of the freshman class in college lose their HOPE funding and or drop out, that is not prepared. I would say in the private sector if the autos coming out of the GM (a government facility) plant failed within the first year that would not be considered success.

DuWayne the reason you WERE NOT elected to the BOE is because the majority DO NOT BLIEVE in you or your ideas. Get a grip and live with it dude. You are not well liked. Your ideas are not liked. Shut up and move on. PLEASE!

Actually, this teacher appreciates the support and appreciation given by DuWayne Anderson. I don't understand the vehement opposition toward him. If you have a valid argument against his ideology, please present your stance. But just attacking his person - well, it's getting old.

Well, you are one the over paid teachers making way to much money. You must be one of those elementary teachers making 75K to 80K. I would support him and ask for a raise to. Hope your neighbor is happy paying your salary while they struggle. I am sure the attacking is getting old. Deal with it or move on. This is why your "man" you support is unemployed. You dont have to like it, but you sure enjoy reading it.

Actually, I do love reading it and getting folks like you all in an uproar. For your information, I'm not even close to making 75K to 80K. And no one said I wanted a raise. No need to put words in my mouth - believe me, I have plenty of "really big" words, but I'm not going to be involved in a "tit-for-tat" argument with you. There's not point in trying to win over the haters; I'm not the jackass whisperer.

Many posters here have complained that Teachers get Summers off, in addition to their contract pay, and that somehow that is not fair to private sector workers, who would love to have summers off as well.

Just a reminder to all, that Teachers do not make or execute policy decisions on their contract work schedules. The State BOE and Local County BOE make those final decisions within the normal 180 day school year schedule.

Teachers work the contract schedule that they are given, and the pay is still spread out over 12 months. Rather than concentrating on complaining, maybe the energy would be better served, if folks showed just a bit more appreciation for the work that Barrow County Teachers put into the classroom,and leave the "wealth envy" rethoric to Obama and the Democrats in Washington........
DuWayne

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